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ARD & Police: Local cases involving police officers

Updated:
08/21/2010 11:30:50 AM EDT

Local ARD cases involving police officers:

Lewis A. Batty, York Township Police officer.

He crashed his pickup into a utility pole along North Main Street in Yoe on April 16, 1995 while off duty and was charged with DUI. He was fired from the department in May 1995. In July 1995, he was accepted into the ARD program. The township's Civil Service Commission reduced his discipline to a suspension, saying the firing was unfair. Judge Richard Horn later reinstated the firing.

Clement Smith, Glen Rock Police officer.

He was accused in January 1996 of corrupting a minor and furnishing alcohol to her while he was a police officer in Halifax, Dauphin County. He was suspended as Glen Rock's sole police officer after borough council members learned of the charges, then reinstated. He was later admitted to the ARD program.

Mark A. Seiffert, York City Police detective.

He was charged with theft and drug possession in June 1997 after a videotape showed he was taking cocaine that was planted in another officer's desk while at work. He resigned from his job upon his arrest and entered drug treatment. In October 1997, he was placed in the ARD program. He was required to pay fees and court costs, maintain his new job in private investigation, plus perform 100 hours of community service.

Robert Gano, state police trooper.

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In 1998, the off-duty state police trooper was arrested on suspicion of DUI after police said he crashed into several parked cars in Penn Township. He applied and was approved for ARD by York County District Attorney Stan Rebert. He was later accepted into ARD along with 43 other people at the same hearing by York County Judge John Chronister. After reading about Gano the next day in the paper, Chronister removed Gano from ARD, saying law-enforcement officers should be held to a higher standard than average citizens. Gano appealed. The Pennsylvania Superior Court held that Chronister was wrong and that police officers cannot be held to a higher standard. The Gano case set a state legal standard on police officers' eligibility for ARD.

Scott Hose, York City Police detective.

He was seriously injured July 10, 2003, when he crashed a vehicle issued to him as a member of the York County Drug Task Force. Mr. Hose had a 0.177 percent blood-alcohol content level, nearly twice the level at which an adult driver is considered to be drunk in Pennsylvania. Two others, a woman and her son on their way to work to deliver newspapers, were injured in the crash. In October 2003, Detective Hose was accepted into ARD. Judge Sheryl Ann Dorney admonished District Attorney Stan Rebert for granting ARD to Mr. Hose and three other police officers for drunk driving charges while denying other defendants with less serious circumstances. She also gave Detective Hose longer probation and more community service hours than the standard requirements. Detective Hose was reportedly suspended without pay for 20 days. He continued to work for the city police force until May 2009, when he joined York County Sheriff's Department as assistant chief deputy.

John Daryman, York City Police detective.

He was charged with DUI by state police in Potter County. His blood-alcohol content measured 0.113. Potter County District Attorney Jeff Leber initially considered dropping the DUI charges, saying Mr. Daryman was one of the lead detectives investigating the high-profile 1969 race riot murder cases and he was needed in York County. He changed his mind, and Mr. Daryman was admitted to the ARD program. He was required to perform 25 hours of community service in Potter County, attend DUI Alcohol Safe Driving School and pay costs.

Kurt P. Blemler, York City Police sergeant.

He was accused of stealing $25,075 from the police evidence property room between 2004 and 2006 to support a gambling addiction. All of the funds were seized in drug busts by the York County Drug Task Force that were earmarked for forfeiture to the county. Sgt. Blemler applied for ARD and was accepted by DA Stan Rebert, but Judge Michael Brillhart rejected the application. He was found guilty of the thefts at a bench trial and sentenced to 12 months of probation, 35 hours of community service, a mental health evaluation and a strict ban on gambling. He appealed his rejection from ARD to state Superior Court. The appeal was argued in April, and the court's decision is pending. He retired from the department, and successful entry into ARD could salvage his retirement pension, according to published reports.

Gary D.S. Utter, Springettsbury Township Police officer.

He was charged with DUI after he crashed his cruiser into a wall on Mount Zion Road on Aug. 23, 2008. According to court records, he had a blood-alcohol content of 0.123 percent. He was suspended and later fired from the department and was twice rejected from the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition probationary program by York County District Attorney Stan Rebert - a decision affirmed by Judge Gregory Snyder. New DA Tom Kearney, asked to reconsider his predecessor's decision, also rejected the ARD petition. He pleaded guilty to DUI charges Aug. 5.

Daniel C. Bell, Columbia Police detective.

He was charged with DUI after he crashed into a parked Jeep in Hallam at 3 a.m., flipping his vehicle onto its roof and tearing a tire off the Jeep. His blood alcohol content was 0.184 percent. In February, he was accepted into the ARD program. He was demoted from detective by his department.

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